U.S. patent number 5,193,868 [Application Number 07/904,092] was granted by the patent office on 1993-03-16 for floating tapping plate assembly.
Invention is credited to John T. O'Toole.
United States Patent |
5,193,868 |
O'Toole |
March 16, 1993 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Floating tapping plate assembly
Abstract
An improved tapping plate and retention bracket assembly for
attaching a threaded bolt in a adjustable manner relative to a
support structure such as a vehicle door pillar, for example. The
bracket comprises a generally rectangular planar portion bordered
by a pair of upstanding end flanges having diametrically opposed
retention slots. The tapping plate has a generally rectangular base
portion formed with oppositely projecting first and second tongues
extending from each end thereof and first and second pairs of
opposed bendable prongs, of lesser length than the tongues,
positioned in spaced relationship on either side of an associated
tongue. In one mode of assembly both pairs of prongs may be
initially preformed at a first acute angle from the base portion
enabling the first tongue to be inserted through one end flange
retention slot with its associated preformed pair of prongs
contacting the one end flange enabling the second tongue to be
inserted through the other retention slot. Thereafter, the plate is
centered and both pairs of preformed prongs are bent downwardly to
a second lesser acute angle whereby the plate is captured on the
bracket in a floating manner whereby the position of the plate bore
may be varied relative to the bracket clearance aperture.
Inventors: |
O'Toole; John T. (Waterford,
MI) |
Family
ID: |
25418536 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/904,092 |
Filed: |
June 25, 1992 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
292/341.15;
411/103 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B
85/045 (20130101); F16B 37/044 (20130101); Y10T
292/696 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
E05B
15/00 (20060101); E05B 15/02 (20060101); F16B
37/04 (20060101); E05B 015/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;292/340,341.15,341.18,341.19 ;411/103,108,104,85 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lindsey; Rodney M.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An adjustable tapping plate and retention bracket assembly
comprising:
a retention bracket disposed about longitudinal and transverse
intersecting axes of symmetry, said retention bracket having a
planar body portion defined in part by a pair of opposed
transversely extending upstanding end flanges, each of said end
flanges provided with a retention slot having longitudinal side
edges equally spaced a predetermined dimension from said
longitudinal axis, said body portion provided with an access
aperture having its center located at the intersection of said
axes;
a tapping plate member adapted to overlie said retention bracket
body portion for controlled movement relative thereto, said tapping
plate adapted for symmetrical disposition about said longitudinal
and transverse intersecting axes of symmetry, said tapping plate
member having a flat base portion providing first and second
oppositely extending elongated tongues extending longitudinally
therefrom so as to be symmetrically disposed about said
longitudinal axis, said tapping plate base portion having a central
internally threaded bore for receiving a threaded fastener
therethrough;
said tapping plate provided with first and second pairs of
elongated oppositely projecting prongs extending longitudinally
from each end of said base portion, each said pair of prongs
positioned in transverse spaced relationship on either side of
their associated tongue, said prongs distal ends initially
preformed so as to extend upwardly from the plane of said base
portion at a predetermined first acute angle;
each said tapping plate first and second tongue having a free end
thereof spaced a predetermined longitudinal distance beyond the
distal ends of their respective first and second pair of preformed
prongs, thereby enabling said first tongue to be inserted through
one end flange retention slot a sufficient distance until its
associated one pair of preformed prong distal ends contact said one
end flange opposed inner surface, whereby said second tongue being
free to just clear the other end flange during downward movement of
said tapping plate enabling flush contact of said tapping plate
base portion on said retention bracket body portion, resulting in
said tapping plate second tongue being free for insertion through
the other end flange slot; and
whereby upon each of said pair of preformed prongs being bent
downwardly toward said retention bracket planar portion to a second
predetermined acute angle less than said first acute angle said
tapping plate being captured on said retention bracket in a
controlled slidably movable manner to vary the location of said
tapping plate bore into alignment with said fastener when said
fastener is inserted into said retention bracket access
aperture.
2. The adjustable floating tapping plate and retention bracket
assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tapping plate having
only one pair of its prongs adapted to contact said one flange
inner surface being initially preformed to said first acute angle
and the remaining pair of prongs being initially bent downward to
said second predetermined acute angle position such that upon said
tapping plate base portion being in flush contact with said
retention bracket body portion only said one pair of preformed
prongs are bent downwardly to said second acute angle position
resulting in said tapping plate being captured on said retention
bracket.
3. The adjustable floating tapping plate and retention bracket
assembly as set froth in claim 1 wherein:
said tapping plate having both pairs of said prongs being initially
bent downward to said second predetermined acute angle position and
said retention bracket having one end flange initially preformed to
a position coplanar with said body portion;
wherein upon said first tongue being inserted through said
oppossite upstanding retention flange slot a sufficient distance
such that its associated pair of prong distal ends contact an inner
surface of said opposed end flange, whereby said one preformed end
flange is then bent to an upstanding position such that said second
tongue extends through said one retention slot causing said tapping
plate to be captured on said retention bracket for longitudinal and
transverse movement in a controlled manner relative thereto.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to adjustable anchor or tapping
plate mechanisms and more particularly to a floating tapping plate
and retention bracket assembly for threadably securing a bolt to a
frame structure such as a vehicle body door pillar.
One example of a prior art floating tapping plate assembly is
disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,575 issued Feb. 21, 1984 to
Garvey et al. entitled Lock Striker Anchor Plate Assembly. In the
Garvey patent, the adjustable lock striker bolt assembly for a
vehicle door lock pillar includes an anchor plate which is manually
snap assembled to a retention bracket by an operator without tools
and with limited access to the inside of the lock pillar.
With reference to prior art FIG. 1A of the drawings, there is shown
a vehicle door lock pillar 10' having a pair of threaded and
shouldered striker bolts 12'. The lower removed striker bolt is
shown positioned to initially pass through pillar rectangular
oversize aperture 13'. Prior art FIG. 1B shows the interior surface
of the pillar 10' having a tapping plate and retention bracket
assembly, generally indicated at 14', mounted thereon. The assembly
14' comprises a tapping plate 16' supported in a floating or
adjustable manner on an underlying retention bracket 18'. In FIG.
1C, the tapping plate 16' is shown positioned with its
longitudinally extending axis of symmetry "A" coaxial with
longitudinal axis of symmetry "B" of the retention bracket 18'. It
will be noted that the tapping plate 16' has a pair of extruded
conical socket portions raised above the tapping plate surface
defining internally threaded passages or bores 19' symmetrically
aligned on its axis "A".
Prior art FIG. 1C shows the retention bracket 18' comprising a
rectangular shaped planar portion 20' defined by a pair of
longitudinal side flanges 22' and a pair of transverse end flanges
24' projecting normally therefrom. The bracket 18' is provided with
a pair of mirror image U-shaped bendable stirrups 26' projecting
normally from the bracket's one exterior surface defining opposed
laterally spaced through slots 28' shown in FIG. 1B. As best seen
in FIG. 1C, the stirrups 26' are pierced or lanced-out from the
bracket planar portion 20' thereby forming a pair of generally
rectangular shaped openings 30' therein.
The tapping plate 16' comprises a base 17' generally rectangular in
plan having its longitudinal edges 32' provided with a pair of
oppositely projecting transversely extending tongues 34'. FIG. 1C
shows each tongue 34' defined by a pair of matching cutouts 36'
formed in each tapping plate side edge 32' such that each tongue
free edge 38' is aligned with its associated side edge 32'. The
U-shaped stirrups 26' are transversely spaced a distance "D" apart
which is a predetermined dimension less than the width "W" of the
tapping plate.
The tapping plate and retention bracket assembly 14' is fabricated
by centering the tapping plate 16' on the bracket interior planar
portion 20', as shown in FIG. 1C, with the bendable stirrups 26'
being initially located in the plane of the bracket planar portion
20'. Thus, upon the stirrups 26' being bent at right angles from
the plane of portion 18', each of their stirrups 26' are sized to
be bent over and receive their associated tapping plate tongues 34'
therethrough. In this manner the tapping plate 16' is loosely
retained or captured on the bracket 18' with its pair of threaded
passages 19' aligned on bracket axis "B" so as to be concentrically
disposed relative to a pair of enlarged clearance holes 40' in the
bracket 18', as viewed in FIG. 1D.
As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1D, the pair of vertically spaced clearance
circular apertures 40', extending through bracket 18', are located
generally on center with an associated one of a pair of vertically
spaced oversized square apertures 13' provided in the body pillar
10'. The tapping plate 16' is slidably adjusted enabling each
striker bolt 12 to pass through its associated pillar oversize
aperture 13' and bracket clearance aperture 40' and thereafter
threaded into a respective aligned tapping plate bore 19'. As a
result, torquing the bolts 12 clamps the bracket portion 20'
between the tapping plate 16 and the opposed surface of the body
pillar 10'. To permit accurate alignment of the tapping plate
threaded bores 19' with their associated bracket clearance
apertures 40', it is necessary that the tapping plate 16' float
laterally providing a limited range of both vertical and horizontal
movement in addition to allowing inward and outward axial play.
Thus, the tapping plate 16' is adapted to adjust to accommodate
location of the striker bolts 12' by virtue of the bolts clamping
the tapping plate in place when tightened. Because of the manner in
which automobile bodies are constructed, the tapping plate, at the
time when the door is hung, is only accessible through the pillar
oversized apertures 13' disregarding certain vehicle body structure
interior hand access passages (not shown).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
novel and improved floating tapping plate and retention bracket
assembly to simply and reliably secure one or more bolts to a
supporting structure such as, for example, an automotive vehicle
body door pillar.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel
and improved tapping plate and retention bracket assembly as set
forth above wherein an improved fabrication arrangement results in
reduced manufacturing costs.
Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved
floating tapping plate and retention bracket assembly as set forth
above wherein the assembly may be readily fabricated in by means of
either a first or second mode. In the first mode one of a pair of
slotted end flanges of the retention bracket is initially formed
coplanar with the bracket body portion while the opposite end
flange is formed in an upstanding manner. The tapping plate, formed
with a pair of opposite coplanar tongues, is symmetrically oriented
in a predetermined position on the bracket with its one tongue
extending through the upstanding flange slot. Next, the coplanar
flange is bent from its planar position to an upstanding position
thereby trapping the other tongue in the opposite end flange slot.
Each of the tapping plate tongues are straddled by a pair of mirror
image prongs angled upwardly from the plane of the tapping plate in
a determined manner. The prongs are of lesser extent than the
tongues such that they contact their associated retention bracket
slotted end flanges after predetermined longitudinal floating
travel thereby capturing the tapping plate on the retention
bracket.
The second fabrication mode involves initially forming the
retention bracket such that both its slotted end flanges are each
bent to their final upstanding mirror image position. However, at
least one pair of the tapping plate prongs are initially pre-formed
to a predetermined near-vertical or first installation angled
position. This enables their associated tongue portion to be
inserted through one bracket end flange slot a predetermined length
until the preformed prongs contact their associated end flange. As
a result, the tapping plate is free to be positioned in a flush
manner on the bracket body portion by virtue of the opposite tongue
portion clearing its associated bracket end flange for positioning
in its end flange retention slot. As a final step, the tapping
plate is shifted longitudinally to its centered position on the
bracket the preformed prongs are bent downwardly from their first
near vertical installation position to their final extended
position readily capturing the tapping plate on the retention
bracket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the invention, such as reduced
number of parts and improved adjustability, will be evident from
the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of
the invention and the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1A is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle door pillar
supporting a pair of lock striker bolts, with one bolt removed, by
means of a prior art floating tapping plate assembly;
FIG. 1B is a fragmentary perspective view of the reverse side of
the door pillar of FIG. 1A showing the prior art floating tapping
plate assembly fixed thereto;
FIG. 1C is an enlarged front elevational detail view of the prior
art floating tapping plate assembly shown in prior art FIG. 1B;
FIG. 1D is an elevational view of the reverse side of the prior art
assembly shown in FIG. 1C;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle open door
showing a portion of the edge and its associated vehicle body door
pillar supporting a striker bolt;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the
vehicle door of FIG. 2 in its closed position relative the body
door pillar with parts broken away to show the floating tapping
plate and retention bracket assembly with the striker bolt engaged
with an interlock angle member;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the striker
bolt and interlock angle member;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view, with parts
broken away, taken in the direction of line 5--5 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the tapping plate
shifted vertically from its centered FIG. 5 mode to its upper-most
limit relative to its underlying retention bracket;
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the tapping plate
shifted diagonally from its centered FIG. 5 mode to its upper-most
and left-most limits relative to its underlying retention
bracket;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 8--8
of FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 9--9
of FIG. 5;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the floating tapping plate and the
upper side of the retention bracket of the present invention;
FIG. 11 a perspective view of the underside of the retention
bracket of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a vertical cross sectional view, partly in elevation,
showing an initial step in the assembly of the tapping plate the
retention bracket;
FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 showing the completed assembly
with the tapping plate captured on the retention bracket; and
FIG. 14 is a vertical cross sectional view, partly in elevation,
showing an alternative method of assembling the tapping plate on
the retention bracket.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, there is shown a portion
of a motor vehicle 10 having a door lock pillar 12 supporting a
striker bolt 14. The striker bolt 14 is adapted for interlocking
engagement with a lock angle member 16 mounted on lateral flange 18
of a vehicle side door, partially shown at 20 in FIG. 2 in its open
position. With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the door is shown in its
closed position wherein the striker bolt 14 is captured in a
rounded guide recess 22 formed in lock angle member locking flange
24 flush with door lateral flange 18. The striker bolt 14, formed
with an annular shoulder 15 axially spaced from the bolt head, is
threaded into a floating tapping plate and retention bracket
assembly, generally indicated at 30 in FIG. 3. It will be noted in
FIG. 4 that the lock angle member 16 is fixed to the door 20 by
means of a pair of fasteners 32 extending through the mounting
flange 34. Further, it will be seen in FIGS. 4, 8 and 9 that a
filler or shim plate 35 is provided between the flange 24 and the
bolt head depending upon the particular installation.
As best seen in FIGS. 5, 10 and 11, the tapping plate and retention
bracket assembly 30 comprises a tapping plate 36 and an underlying
retention bracket 38 adapted to floatingly capture the tapping
plate thereon permitting aligned adjustment for receiving the bolt
14. The tapping plate 36 is formed from a sheet metal stock having
a generally rectangular flat base portion 40 formed with a first
pair of mirror image bendable prongs 42 at each corner of one end
and a second pair of diametrically opposed mirror image bendable
prongs 44 at each corner of an opposite end. It will be noted in
FIG. 5 that the first and second pair of elongated prongs are
symmetrically disposed about a transverse line of symmetry 46 and a
longitudinal line of symmetry 48.
The tapping plate 36 further comprises a pair of diametrically
opposed longitudinally extending mirror image elongated tongues 52
and 54 symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal line of
symmetry 48 and lying in the plane of the base portion 40. It will
be seen that each of the rectangular shaped tongues 52 and 54 is
straddled in a spaced manner by respective pairs of prongs 42 and
44. Each tongue has its free end 56 and 58 extending a
predetermined dimension beyond respective free ends 62 and 64 of
its associated pair of prongs 42 and 44, respectively. It will be
noted in FIG. 10 that the tapping plate base portion 40 is provided
with a central internally threaded through bore 66 of tubular
central upstanding extrusion 68.
With reference to FIG. 10, the retention bracket 38 comprises a
generally rectangular planar body portion 70 bordered by a pair of
longitudinal upstanding side flanges 72--72 and a pair of
transverse upstanding end flanges 74--74 projecting generally
normally from the body portion 70. The retention bracket 38 is
shown in FIG. 5 and formed symmetrical about the longitudinal 48
and transverse 46 center lines which intersect the principal axis
"A" (FIG. 13) of the central through bore 66. Each of the end
flanges 74--74 is formed With a rectangular retention slot, defined
by transverse edges 76 and longitudinal stop edges 77, adapted to
receive therethrough an associated tapping plate tongue. As seen in
FIGS. 6 and 7, the bracket body portion 70 is provided with a
generally rectangular shaped central clearance aperture 80, which
in the preferred embodiment is a square with radiused corners. In
its initial or centered mode of FIG. 5 the square clearance
aperture 80 has its center aligned with the intersection of the
transverse 46 and longitudinal 48 axes of symmetry.
FIG. 12 shows the tapping plate and retention bracket assembly 30
being assembled in a first mode by initially having each pair of
the tapping plate bendable tangs 42 and 44 pre-formed at a
predetermined first acute angle "X" from the plane of the base
portion 40 which angle "X" in the disclosed form is about 60
degrees. It will be seen in FIG. 12 that the tapping plate 36, in
its first assembly mode, is oriented with one of its tongues 54
inserted through an end flange or retention slot 76 such that its
associated pair of straddling prongs 44 have their free distal ends
64 contacting the opposed inner surface of their respective bracket
end flange 74.
As seen in FIG. 12, this enables the tapping plate opposite tongue
free end 56 to just clear its associated bracket end wall inner
surface 75 whereby the tapping plate flat base portion 40 is moved
into flush engagement with the mounting plate planar portion 70.
Thereafter, the tapping plate member 36 is moved on the supporting
bracket along its longitudinal axis 48 until the principal axis "A"
of the tapping plate member threaded bore 66 coincides with the
center of bracket planar portion central rectangular clearance
aperture, defined by transverse internal edges 80 and longitudinal
internal edges 81, as seen in FIG. 13. Next, the two pair of
pre-formed prongs 42 and 44 are bent downwardly by suitable tool
means to a second lesser acute angle "Y" providing the assembly 30,
shown in full lines in FIG. 13, capturing the tapping plate 36 on
the bracket 38.
With reference to FIG. 14, an alternative second mode or
arrangement for assembling a tapping plate and bracket assembly 130
is shown with corresponding reference numerals being used, with one
hundred being added thereto, for like or corresponding elements. It
will be seen in FIG. 14 that initially one left hand end flange 174
is located in its final position substantially normal to the plane
of the bracket body portion 170. The remaining right hand end
flange 175, however, is initially preformed in the plane of the
bracket body portion 170. The FIG. 14 mode shows both pairs of the
tapping plate bendable prongs 142--142 and 144--144 bent downwardly
to a predetermined common acute angle which in the disclosed
embodiment is equal to acute angle "Y" of the first assembling
arrangement of FIGS. 12 and 13.
The tapping plate 136 is initially positioned with its one left
hand tongue 156 inserted through the left hand end flange retention
slot 176 such that its associated pair of prongs 144 have their
free distal ends contacting the opposed inner surface of the left
hand end flange 174. As thus positioned, the right hand end flange
175 is bent upwardly substantially ninety degrees by a suitable
forming tool (not shown) from its full line horizontal assembly
position to its vertically extending dashed line final upstanding
position wherein its associated right hand tongue 154 is trapped in
associated right hand end flange slot 176. Thus, in this
alternative mode the tapping plate 136 is captured on the retention
bracket 138 in the same manner as in the first assembly bracket
assembly 30 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.
As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the tapping plate internally
threaded bore 66 of the assembly 30 is adapted for limited
longitudinal and transverse predetermined adjustable movement
relative to the bracket rectangular shaped central clearance
aperture 80, 81. It will be noted in FIG. 6 that the central
aperture is essentially square while having its corners 82 radiused
to conform with through bore 66 in its maximum combined transverse
and longitudinal adjustable travel from its centered position of
FIG. 5.
The extent of the tapping plate adjustable movement is determined
in part by the transverse travel of the tongues 52 and 54 relative
to the width of their associated retention slots. In FIG. 6, it
will be seen that upon the tapping plate 36 being slidably moved to
its maximum transverse or leftward position each of the tongues 52
and 54 are disposed with their respective leading longitudinal
edges 83 contacting their associated retention slot longitudinal
stop edges 77. As a result, the bracket central aperture 80 is open
to the tapping plate threaded bore 66 and body pillar oversize
aperture 86.
With reference to FIG. 7, the tapping plate 36 is shown slidably
moved to its maximum longitudinal or uppermost position, with each
one end prong free edge 62 contacting the opposed surface of their
associated end retention flange 74, the support sheet central
aperture 80 is open to the tapping plate threaded bore 66 by virtue
of being positioned tangent to an associated transverse edge 81 of
the central aperture. It will also be observed in FIG. 7 that the
tongue 52 has a predetermined width relative to the predetermined
width of the retention slot. As a result, with the tongue side edge
83 contacting a slot side edge 77 a portion of its associated one
prong 42, which is partially moved transversely in overlying
relation to its retention slot, maintains contact with end flange
74.
While there is described above the principles of this invention in
connection with a specific embodiment, it is to be clearly
understood that this description is made only by way of example and
not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.
* * * * *